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" ,.... o CO CO indicated the resident's water well was in communication with the Fruitland Coal formation. At that time there were essentially three theories concerning the cause of the gas seeps in the area. First, production from the coalbed methane gas wells downdip may have reduced the hydrostatic pressure near the outcrop and caused gas to desorb from the Fruitland Coal near the subdivision. Second, a gas bubble may have formed around the producing gas wells and migrated updip to the outcrop area. Third, residents with water wells completed in or near the Fruitland Coal may have produced enough water to lower the pressure in the coals, releasing gas in a manner similar to nearby Fruitland Coal gas wells. To determine if the residents' water wells had su.fficiently dewatered the coals near the outcrop to cause gas desorbtion, the COGCC reviewed the State Engineer's water well records. These records indicated there were only 11 water wells in section 14 and there had not' been a large increase in the number of water wells in recent years. Also, the person who initially reported the seeps is a part time resident and us~s water only seasonally. Based on this information it was concluded that the water wells located. near the outcrop were not responsible for reducing the hydrostatic pressure nearthe outcrop and causing the release of gas at the subdivision. Later computer simulation confirmed this conclusion. In November of 1993, the COGCCreceived a report of an additional water well that was producing gas. At that time the COGCC notified La Plata County of the gas seeps at the Pine River Ranches Subdivision and potential safety concerns regarding the seeps, At the November, 1993, COGCC Hearing, the Commission staff made a recommendation to shut-in ten Fruitland Coalbed wells within two miles of the Pine River Ranches Subdivision. , . , :-j J i , t' 3